


Strange Neighbors

by Keziah



Category: Strange Empire (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-28 08:06:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10080677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keziah/pseuds/Keziah
Summary: The Neighbor AU I couldn't get out of my head.





	1. Chapter 1

“Please leave.”

Kat paused with her key in the lock when she heard the quiet voice.

“You don’t mean that.” The next voice was deeper and arrogant.

“I do mean it. I really do want you to leave.”

Kat put her keys back into her pocket and walked down the hall towards the voices. As she turned the corner, she discovered a man leaning over a small woman who was standing very straight with her hands clasped in front of her. The man stepped a little closer, causing the woman to press her back against the wall and turn her head to the side, meeting Kat’s eyes.

The sheer panic in the woman’s eyes spurred Kat into action. She dropped her bag and took two large steps forward, swinging her fist into the guy’s face and sending him staggering a half step backwards.

He gaped at her. “What the hell?”

“Leave. Her. Alone.”

“What’s it to you?” He moved forward into Kat’s space.

Kat responded by slamming her fist into his stomach.

He bent forward and Kat muttered into his ear. “What's it to me? Well, I’m the one that’ll kick your ass if you go near her again.” She shoved him back and he glared at the both of them.

Kat took a step forward, right hand still clenched and ready, left hand sweeping her jacket back so her badge and gun were clearly visible. “Touch her again and I’ll arrest you.”

He glared some more, but made the right decision and walked off.

Kat immediately turned to the woman who was staring at her. “Are you all right? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“You’re hurt.”

“What?”

“Your hand is hurt.”

Kat looked down at her hand. Apparently, she had skinned her knuckles on the idiot. “Oh, it’s fine. Are you okay?”

“You need medical attention.” The woman stated. “I am a qualified doctor. I am about to start my residency, but I have my degree and significant practice with injuries. I am also a genius in the medical field. I assure you it is quite safe.”

Kat looked at the woman. She was standing straight, hands clasped, much like she had been before. “Um” was Kat’s coherent response.

“Please let me tend to you.”

Kat blinked. “Okay.”

The woman immediately began digging into her side bag, pulling out a pack of bandages. She looked around. “It would be better if we were somewhere with a sink and counter. Come inside?”

Kate glanced at her watch. She still had a few minutes before the kids expected her home. “Sure.” She scooped up her own bag and followed the woman a few short steps down the hall and into the apartment.

The apartment was a mirror image of Kat’s, but quite bare: the only furniture was a desk and it was surrounded by piles of boxes.

The woman held out her hand expectantly, standing next to the kitchen sink. Kat shook herself from her observation and stepped forward, putting her injured hand into the other woman’s. It was a very soft hand. “I’m Kat Loving. I live down the hall.”

“Oh!” The woman blushed a pretty shade of pink. “Introductions. I’m Rebecca Blithely. I moved in today.” She tugged on Kat’s hand and gently ran water over the skinned knuckles before wiping them down with an antiseptic wipe. She peered at the sores closely. Kat could feel her breath tickle her fingertips.

“I don’t think they need bandages.” Rebecca declared seriously.

“That’s good,” Kat replied. “Coming home with skinned knuckles is nothing. Coming home with a bandaged hand? My kids’ll freak out a little.”

“You have children?” questioned Rebecca.

She still hadn’t let go of Kat’s hand.

“Yeah.” Kate gave a half smile. “Three of ‘em. We live in number 303.”

“Why did you say you would arrest that man?”

“Because if he touches you again without your permission, that’s assault.”

“Are you a police officer?” Rebecca cocked her head to the side and swept her gaze up and down Kat’s body, pausing at her badge, her boots, her gun, and her hat. She was still holding Kat’s hand.

“Sheriff, actually.”

“Oh.”

There was a pause.

Kat considered Rebecca, as she stood there. She appeared calm and collected but was shaking slightly, probably excess adrenaline from the encounter in the hall.

“Do you have plans for dinner?” Kat asked.

“Dinner?”

“Yeah, dinner. Or supper, whichever you call it. You just moved in, and aren’t unpacked yet. I’ve got plenty of food what with teenagers in the house, and it’ll give you a rest. And then we can help you unpack.”

“Oh.”

“If you want, I mean. Won’t make you do anything you don’t want to.”

Rebecca thought for a moment, a tiny crease forming between her eyebrows before she came to a decision and it smoothed away. “I think that would be nice. Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Kate responded. “We’ll be eating in about an hour. Would you like to come over now?”

“If it’s no trouble. I can help cook? Or mind the children?” Rebecca’s grip tightened ever so slightly on Kate’s hand, but her voice was eager, as if she wanted to be useful.

Kate turned towards the door, tugging a little on Rebecca’s hand. “It’s no trouble at all. The children will be minding themselves, hopefully. It is a school night and they’ve homework.”

“I see.” Rebecca nodded seriously.

Kat smiled. This was a fascinating woman, to be sure.


	2. Chapter 2

Soon Kat found herself unlocking her door for the second time that night, only this time with a guest behind her.

As she stepped in, she called out. “I’m home!”

Kelly stuck her head into the front room. “Hey, Ma! Who’s this? Catch any bad guys today?”

“This is Ms. Rebecca Blithely. She just moved in down the hall and will be having dinner with us.”

“So no bad guys?”

Kat raised an eyebrow at Kelly and tossed her hat onto Kelly’s head.

“Oh!” Kelly straightened the hat on her head and turned to Rebecca. “Hello, Ms. Blithely. I’m Kelly. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Hello, Kelly. It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Can I help with dinner?” Kelly asked, standing on tiptoes to place the hat on the topmost knop of the hat stand.

“Have you finished your homework?” Kat countered.

Kelly scowled. “Everything except English.”

“Well, go finish up. We're helping Ms. Blithely move in after dinner, so you won't have time then.” Kat nodded towards the hallway while she hung up her jacket and bent down to unlace her boots.

Rebecca hastily knelt too, going through her precise routine of taking off her shoes. Kelly huffed and slunk towards the hallway.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me, girl,” Kat commanded, even though she and Kelly were facing opposite directions.

“Yes, Ma . . .” came floating back down the hall.

Rebecca lined her shoes up neatly by Kat’s boot on the small rack by the door and then turned to Kat who had her hands out expectantly. Rebecca looked at the hands and then back at Kat’s face, expecting to see impatience or amusement at her confusion.

Instead, Kat’s face was calm. “May I take your coat?” she asked.

“Oh!” Rebecca’s hands flew to her buttons. “Yes. Thank you.”

Kat hung up Rebecca’s coat and led the way into the kitchen. “Pasta tonight. Are you allergic to anything?”

“No . . .” Rebecca examined the kitchen. It was clean and neat. “May I assist?”

“You’re a guest,” Kat stated. “Wouldn’t be right.”

“But you helped me,” Rebecca protested. “And offered to help more. It would be only appropriate.”

Kat gave a short laugh, causing her entire countenance to transform into something wild and beautiful. “I suppose it would at that.” She hauled a large pot out of a cupboard. “If you could please put some water on to boil, then?”

Rebecca nodded eagerly.

 

Not much later, Kat hollered for the kids, and three teenagers filled the kitchen, collecting plates and napkins and silverware and swiftly setting the table. There was even a small posy of flowers in a vase in the middle that the smallest child proudly presented.

Rebecca counted the plates, counted the people, and turned to Kat. “Will your husband not be joining us tonight?”

Kat gave her an odd look. “My husband?”

“You have a ring.” Rebecca hastened to explain. She’d done it again, hadn’t she. Thomas had said time and time again that her questions were inappropriate. “And there was a gentleman’s coat in the closet. And you have children.”

“We’re all adopted.” the smallest child piped up. “Me ‘n’ Kelly first, then Neill.”

“Oh.” Rebecca glanced nervously around. They didn’t  _ seem _ mad at her assumptions.

Kat pulled out Rebecca’s chair and nodded at the children to sit. “I have no husband, Ms. Blithely. He died some time ago.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Rebecca replied rotely. She knew that courtesy, at least.

There were a few moments of organized chaos as food was passed around and plates filled and first bites taken. When they were all settled, the smallest child piped up again. “What about you, Ms. Blithely? Do you have a husband?”

“Robin . . .” Kat warned.

“Not anymore. He died as well.” Rebecca shook her head, the frustration coming out again. “I warned him it was cancer, but he would not listen until it was too late.”

No one seemed to know what to say to that, so Kat smoothly changed the subject. “Which hospital will you be at? You said you start your rotation soon.”

“Janestown Municipal. I start Monday in the emergency unit.”

The conversation flowed easily from there, Kat asking the children about their days, and being regaled with stories from the local schools. Despite Rebecca’s awkwardness, they included her in the conversation and didn’t seem put-off when she had trouble thinking of the correct words. Their camaraderie extended through cleaning up the table, doing the dishes, and trooping as a group over to Rebecca’s apartment in order to help unpack.

Robin was set to filling the bookshelves with books (most of Rebecca’s boxes, to be honest), Kelly put away the kitchenware and linens, Kat and Neill moved furniture, and Rebecca finished unpacking her clothes.

They had mostly finished when Kat rounded up the kids and sent them home. “As it’s a school night,” Kat explained, “it is their bedtime.”

Rebecca looked around her apartment that now looked much homier. “Thank you. Very much. You have been exceedingly kind.”

Kat lifted her hand as if to doff her hat before realizing she was no longer wearing it. “It was my pleasure, Ms. Blithely. You have a good night, now.”

Rebecca nodded. “You too, Ms. Loving.”

Kat smiled briefly and left the apartment, gently closing the door behind her. Rebecca stared after her for some time, not quite sure why she suddenly felt more lonely now than she had in the months previously.


	3. Chapter 3

The next time Kat saw Rebecca, they were both leaving their apartments at an unearthly hour of the morning. Kat tipped her hat as Rebecca reached her section of the hallway and fell into step. “Good morning, Ms. Blithely.”

“Good morning, Ms. Loving.” Rebecca paused, adjusting the large, black, medical bag in her hand. “Or should I call you Sheriff Loving?”

“Either is fine. Kat is also acceptable, for my friends.”

“We are friends?”

“Yes.”

“Kat.” Rebecca said carefully, as if testing the name in her mouth. “Kat.”

Kat pushed the elevator button, trying not to think too hard about how good that sounded, coming from Rebecca.

“You must call me Rebecca then. It’s only appropriate, since we are friends.”

Kat smiled and nodded agreement, waving Rebecca ahead of her into the elevator. “That fellow hasn’t bothered you again, has he?”

”Oh, no. I think he took your warning very seriously.”

“Good.” Kat allowed herself the smug feeling of a job well done. “But you tell me if he becomes a problem.”

“I will do that.” Rebecca said earnestly.

They exited the elevator and Kar paused.  “May I walk you to your car?”

Rebecca faced Kat head on. “Yes. You may.”

 

It became a sort of habit with them. On the days Rebecca had morning shifts at the hospital, she would meet Kat in the hallway. They would take the elevator down, exchange small talk, and Kat would walk Rebecca to her car, watching until she made it safely out of the parking garage.

Kat tried not to consider the implications of her actions. She’d always been more of a “feeler” than a “thinker” anyway. If she had to, she would have said that she was just being neighborly. Or that it was her duty to serve and protect. Or that she could always use a friend that she didn’t work with. Fortunately, no one asked.

 

\---

 

It was merely a couple weeks after their shared dinner when Kat showed up to a domestic and ended up needing to take both the victim and the instigator to the hospital. The victim in an ambulance with a concussion and a hairline fracture in his arm, and the instigator in the back of Kat’s patrol car with a bloody nose and a possible sprain from when Kat twisted her arm pulling her off the victim.

Once they got to the hospital, Kat cuffed herself to the perp and escorted her firmly into the emergency room.

“You will say nothing and do nothing.” Kat said firmly to her, waving the hospital security over. “Unless you feel like waiving your Miranda rights.”

The perp snarled a little, but slumped down in the provided chair and cradled her arm.

The hospital must have been eager to get her out of there, because Kat and her perp were soon hustled into a private exam room, along with another security officer. A doctor came in soon after and Kat gave a half smile before catching herself. It was Rebecca.

She looked up from the chart and blinked at Kat before glancing over the perp (sitting sullenly on the exam bed) and the security officer (standing officially in the corner).

“I’m Dr. Blithely.” Rebecca said suddenly. “What is the problem?”

The perp snorted. “Bitch like you ain’t no doctor.”

Kat smiled at the perp and casually twisted the hand she was currently cuffed to. “You backtalk Dr. Blithely again and I’ll sprain your other wrist.”

“Sheriff Loving!” Rebecca chided. “That’s not ethical.”

“I don’t hold with disrespect.”

“I’m sure there won’t be any trouble.”

Kat straightened up a little. “Just making certain of it, ma’am.”

Rebecca looked at her piercingly, before turning back to her patient. The perp was smart and didn’t say anything else. Of course, Kat’s warning hand on her arm could have had something to do with that.

Once her wrist had been wrapped, Kat took the perp back to the squad car. She took a moment to duck back inside the hospital to catch Rebecca or leave a note if she was busy. Luckily Rebecca was at the counter finishing up some paperwork. Kat hastily swept off her hat and cleared her throat to get Rebecca’s attention.

Rebecca turned, smiling at the sight of Kat before realizing where they were and frowning in concern. “Is there something wrong, Sheriff?”

“No, uh,” Kat cleared her throat again. “Just wondering if you would care to join us for dinner again tonight. The kids have been asking about you and I meant to invite you this morning, but forgot.” She smiled a bit sheepishly. “I was a mite distracted.”

Rebecca smiled. “I would love to.”

 

\---

 

Dinner that evening was much the same as the first dinner they’d shared together. Kelly helped with the casserole, Robin provided another small posy of flowers, and Kat made sure to keep Rebecca included in their conversations. She seemed a little more relaxed this time around - less tense, less jumpy.

The kids scattered after dinner, either to finish homework or make use of their allotted computer time. Kat grabbed a couple beers from the fridge and offered one to Rebecca. She hesitantly took it, and Kat led her into the living room and settled down on the couch.

“Uh, sorry about today at the hospital.” Kat said. “I didn’t mean to step on your authority or anything.”

“Oh, I wasn’t worried about that!” Rebecca hastened to reassure. “I was worried about the legal and ethical ramifications of you threatening someone.”

“Oh.” Kat nodded. “Thanks. My boss has said I have a ‘wild west’ attitude and that I need reining in once in a while.”

Rebecca looked a little confused at the statement and took a long swallow of her beer. And then made a face at the taste and set it down carefully on a coaster on the end table.

“What do you like most about working at the hospital?” Kat ventured. They hadn’t really progressed past pleasantries in their morning chats, and Kat didn’t want to spend the evening with a beautiful woman on her couch talking about the weather.

Rebecca brightened up immediately. “Oh, I’m learning so much there! Theory is wonderful and I can spend hours reading books but actually having my hands on it teaches me so much! Why just the other day I had this patient who . . .”

Kat smiled, enraptured as Rebecca described the myriad of problems that entered the ER and how even doing up a few stitches taught her so much more about the human body.

Rebecca abruptly stopped half an hour later and shrunk back a little. “I’m sorry. You don’t want to listen to all this.”

“Sure I do. I asked, didn’t I?”

Rebecca frowned prettily. “But people just ask things like that to be polite and don’t actually want to hear it.”

Kat winced internally and did her best to keep her face calm. “Not me. If I ask something, I mean it.”

“Oh.” Rebecca paused. “What do you like most about being sheriff?”

Kat pondered her answer. There were lots of things she liked about her job, but the best part was probably . . . “Helping. Having people ask for help and being able to provide.”

“Are you able to help often?” Rebecca asked.

Kat lifted one shoulder. “Not as much as I would like. Most of my job is stopping people from hurting someone else. But every so often I get the chance to do something good.” Kat paused, half smiling in the direction of the bedrooms. “Like my kids.”

Rebecca cocked her head. “Robin said they were adopted.”

Kat nodded. “Yeah. They have some rough backgrounds. I’m just trying to give them better opportunities.”

Rebecca considered Kat seriously. “You are very brave and very kind.”

Kat hid her blush behind her beer.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'll probably be adding to this, but I have no idea when or what. Feel free to shoot me ideas, or pester me about getting to it.


End file.
